Spain on top

Date: March 28 2013

EUROPE: World champion Spain regained top spot in its 2014 World Cup qualifying group on Tuesday with a hard-fought 1-0 win over France. While Pedro Rodriguez's second-half goal gave Spain the lead over France in group I by one point, the team it beat in the 2010 World Cup final, the Netherlands, maintained its perfect record with its sixth win in six games, a 4-0 success over Romania. England had a 1-1 draw away against group H leader Montenegro. Montenegro still leads it by two points and could stretch it to five if it beats Ukraine in June before England plays its next qualifier at home to Moldova in September.

Game stands: FIFA

NORTH/CENTRAL AMERICA: FIFA has thrown out Costa Rica's bid to have its snow-hit World Cup qualifying loss to the US replayed. Amid farcical scenes in Denver on Friday, Costa Rica lost 1-0 to its CONCACAF rival in a match played out in a blizzard on a pitch blanketed in snow. Salvadoran referee Joel Aguilar briefly halted the game in the 55th minute before allowing the match to conclude.

Points shared

SOUTH AMERICA: Argentina suffered a scare before coming from behind to secure a 1-1 draw with Bolivia in their World Cup qualifying match on Tuesday. Argentina had been thrashed 6-1 by Bolivia when the sides last met in 2010. Another upset looked on the cards when Marcel Martins headed the home side into a 25th-minute lead. But Argentina grabbed a share of the points when Ever Banega equalised just before half-time.

Barton rant

FRANCE: Controversial former England international Joey Barton has sunk his claws into Brazil starlet Neymar, taking to Twitter to dismiss the South American's abilities. ''Neymar is the Justin Bieber of football. Brilliant on the old YouTube. Cat piss in reality,'' was Barton's damning view of the Santos forward long dubbed as Brazil's hero-in-waiting as it bids to win a sixth World Cup on home soil next year.